On February 14th, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro admitted that his government had held secret meetings with the Trump administration in an interview with AP News.

He also predicted that he would survive the regime change push against him.

In the interview Maduro strongly criticized Trump’s stance against his socialist government, but he still hoped that he would meet the POTUS soon to resolve the crisis triggered by the US recognition of Juan Guaido as Interim President.

According to Maduro, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza had two secret meetings in New York and invited the Special Envoy for Venezuela Elliott Abrams to visit “privately, publicly or secretly.”

“If he wants to meet, just tell me when, where and how and I’ll be there,” Maduro said.

According to two anonymous Venezuelan officials, the first meeting took place on January 26th and the US was rather hostile during it. According to the sources, the US envoy threatened Venezuela with the deployment of troops and chastising the Venezuelan government for allegedly being in league with Cuba, Russia and Hezbollah.

The second meeting took place on February 11th, 4 days after Abrams said the “time for dialogue with Maduro had long passed.” It wasn’t much friendlier, but the US envoy simply insisted that severe US sanctions would oust Maduro even if the military’s support wouldn’t falter.

During the interview Maduro said that the only thing stopping Venezuela from recovery is for Trump to remove his “infected hand” from the country that sits atop the world’s largest petroleum reserves.

The sanctions effectively ban all oil purchases by the U.S., which had been Venezuela’s biggest oil buyer until now. Maduro said he will make up for the sudden drop in revenue by targeting markets in Asia, especially India, where the head of state-run oil giant PDVSA was this week negotiating new oil sales.

“We’ve been building a path to Asia for many years,” he said. “It’s a successful route, every year they are buying larger volumes and amounts of oil.”

He praised the continued support of China and Russia, but he was wary that the competition between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump may convert the Venezuela crisis into a high-risk geopolitical fight.

He reiterated his refusal to allow humanitarian aid from the US, calling the supplies “crumbs” after the US administration froze billions of Venezuelan funds from oil revenue and overseas assets.

“They hang us, steal our money and then say ‘here, grab these crumbs’ and make a global show out of it,” said Maduro.

“With dignity we say ‘No to the global show,’” said Maduro. “Whoever wants to help Venezuela is welcome, but we have enough capacity to pay for everything that we need.”

Finally, he concluded by saying that he wouldn’t resign.

“I’m not afraid,” he said, adding that even last year’s attack on him with explosives-laden drones during a military ceremony didn’t shake his resolve. “I’m only worried about the destiny of the fatherland and of our people, our boys and girls….this is what gives me energy.”

AP News also cited an anonymous Washington administration official said that US officials are willing to meet with “former Venezuela officials, including Maduro himself, to discuss their exit plans.”

During it, he urged China to support the opposition in Venezuela, because that would improve China’s role in South America.

Earlier in the day, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York of formation of a group that believes the U.N. Charter’s commitment to non-interference in another country’s affairs is being violated, particularly in the South American nation.

In the next few days, thegroup “will begin a series of actions to raise awareness around the dangers that our peoples currently face,” particularly in Venezuela.

Following that same meeting in the UN Headquarters, Russia’s UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzya said Moscow is “very much concerned that some hotheads may be considering a military action against Venezuela.”

Maduro also spoke to Euronews on February 14th, during the interview he said largely the same things, while defending his election and condemning much of the opposition’s actions. According to him, the actions stem from the “US government inside Venezuela.”

Anelise Borges: “Mr President, thank you very much for speaking to us here on Euronews. Today yours is a country at a crossroads, a country with two presidents. What exactly is happening in Venezuela?”

Nicolás Maduro: “It is not possible to have two presidents in a country. In Venezuela there is only one president under the constitution elected by popular vote, according to Venezuela’s political institutions. And this president, is this humble worker sitting here, Nicolas Maduro Moros. There is a coup currently taking place; it has failed; we have neutralized it. This was instigated by the US government inside Venezuela. The United States used all its political, diplomatic and economic power to try to install a puppet government in Venezuela, something which is unprecedented in our history.”

Anelise Borges: “But the US, the EU and several other Latin American countries have recognised Juan Guaido as the interim President.”

Nicolás Maduro: “This violates all the rules of the United Nations charter that prohibit intervention in internal affairs, violating the very precepts of the Venezuelan constitution. This is part of an attempt to dominate, conquer and create a neocolonial relationship with Venezuela. In any case, who decides the political life of a country, who elects the presidents inside all the countries of the world – popular sovereignty in Venezuela is no exception. They can say whatever they want – Donald Trump’s government, the extremist administration in the White House and its satellite governments – but in Venezuela it is the people who are sovereign and who decide. No foreign government decides what we do here.”

Maduro also said that he had made more than 400 calls to the opposition for dialogue, and that it goes much further than the presumed interim president.

Anelise Borges: “Do you believe in dialogue here in Venezuela as well? Are you available, ready to talk to Mr Juan Guaido for example?”

Nicolás Maduro: “I have made more than 400 calls to the opposition for dialogue. The Opposition goes much further than the man they have put up as the presumed interim president, far beyond. This man is there by circumstance. I am willing and ready for dialogue with the Opposition, as a whole, or with parts of the Opposition whenever, wherever. And I truly believe, Anelise, I’m convinced that the only thing that can help Venezuela this year, and in the years to come, is honest dialogue, with an open agenda, and that we make comprehensive agreements for the good of Venezuela, for the prosperity of the country.”

Maduro further alleged that the humanitarian aid that is being surrounded by hysteria is contaminated and that is another reason it shouldn’t be let in the country.

Anelise Borges: “Contaminated? Why contaminated? Do you have proof that this food is contaminated, this aid is contaminated? You think so?”

Nicolás Maduro: “Well, information has come out of Colombia itself. It’s food that has not been… is full of carcinogenic chemical elements …. that has not had the required tests. And it has already caused several cases of food poisoning in Colombia itself. Now, beyond that they have politicised the concept of humanitarian aid. If you want to help our country, I tell Donald Trump, I tell Mike Pompeo, I tell the governments that are behind this “show”: release the accounts that are held hostage, release the gold that they have stolen and Venezuela has enough resources and everything else to import everything we need. Stop this gruesome “show” of trying to suffocate Venezuela and then offer us only crumbs. We are not anyone’s beggars.”

Meanwhile, in an escalation of absurdity, US National Security Adviser John Bolton accused Maduro of diverting the aid needed in Venezuela to Cuba.

After diverting aid needed badly by Venezuelans to Cuba last week (100 tons), and giving away billions of the Venezuelan people’s wealth to Cuba – now Maduro seeks aid from Cuba and China. All while denying the Venezuelan humanitarian crisis and rejecting aid at the border.

“Today, 25 countries, united at the OAS-hosted Conference on Humanitarian Assistance in Support of Venezuela pledged $100 million in humanitarian assistance. We call on all nations to recognize and support the government of Interim President Guaido,” Bolton tweeted.

US Senator Marco Rubio also had his part to say, claiming that Rep. Ilhan Omar was “an apologist for the murderous Maduro Regime & serial anti-semitic tweeter has no standing to attack anyone on human rights,” in a Tweet.

An apologist for the murderous #MaduroRegime & serial anti-semitic tweeter has no standing to attack anyone on human rights.

Prior to that, he completely disregarded her stance during Elliott Abrams testimony before Congress, saying that he hasn’t “heard a single relevant U.S. policymaker express this view on Venezuela.”

Rubio also alleged that this is indeed what “Maduro is counting on. He thinks if he can hold on long enough the oppositions momentum will wane & international pressure will ease. It’s only been 3 weeks.”

I haven’t heard a single relevant U.S. policymaker express this view on #Venezuela.

But this is exactly the narrative #Maduro is counting on. He thinks if he can hold on long enough the oppositions momentum will wane & international pressure will ease.

Lol, as soon as hordes of tomahawk missiles, F-18s and F-15s start performing SEAD operations, the AC-130s, A-10 warthogs, and attack helicopters will come on in and do the rest of the work while the US Marines do a ground operation to liberate Venezuela. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Sorry Jacob, but you’re fighting a losing battle on this Jew hating website!

Concrete Mike

Confusing jew and the idiotic evil political entity called israel is a old trick used by likud arse lickers.

Paint everything with the same brush is intellectual dishonesty.

RichardD

94% of Jews are Zionists, and much of the other 6% are orthodox who are the biggest pedophile rapists of them all. Some Jews who reject Judaism’s more objectionable teachings and practices doesn’t exonerate Jews and Judaism from all of the lies, crime and evil that they’re collectively guilty of.

Sinbad2

You have to give credit where credit is due. The Jew tasked with getting rid of Trump, Rod Rosenstein has been replaced, by Jeffrey Rosen. Kill one cockroach and a thousand more appear.

RichardD

It’s one of the few sites not afraid of vermin Jew where the truth can be told about their lies, crime and evil. The only way that Jews can be portrayed in a positive light is one that restricts truth. Sites that support truth turn into sites critical of Jews.

Sinbad2

Well actually he’s winning, he’s trolling, and everybody is falling for it.

Drogba

Fuck off you zionist scumbag, typical of your bankster tribe,to get the goyim to fight and die in your manufactured wars,as usual.Fuck israhell,and fuck you and your ilk.

Who doesn’t know that Israhell responsible for 9/11? The outcome has benefitted no one but that rat infested sociopathic nest that is Israhell. It has also armed, funded and provided medical care to Saudi WAHHABI extremists ISIS terrorists. It becomes more obvious by the year that Israhell and it’s “chosen” that infiltrate all levels of our government now with wealthy Jew overlord money. Israhell is ever closer to exposure as more American sympathy is shifting from Israhell to Palestinians and Israhelli war crimes. BDS is growing in the US and worldwide

Drogba

You should be hung get, along with your fake Jew warmongering zionist banksters.

roger temple

US values: how to rip off your neighbour without getting blamed. US people: a mass of indoctrinated ill-fed sheep. President: the biggest wanker since the last one, and the one before, ad infinitum. Israel: cheats, liars, whiners and criminals against common decency and humanity. Now fuck off you vile little creep.

The response of a coward and traitor. Does your values include Israeli snipers shooting Palestinian children in peaceful protest? Hypocrite.

You can call me Al

How did it go for them in Cuba, in Nicaragua etc. ?. You lot are so effing useless, it is laughable.

Did you lot ever win a war ?.

jm74

Actually they did, they got rid of the straights and introduced the gays.

You can call me Al

ROFL

Concrete Mike

All your marines liberate is ressources for your corrupt companies. All you can squeeze is israeli cock.

seawolf

Ouhhhh another cow boy with shining boots, loaded with testosterone lol. Cool man and have a drink. lol

Bigaess Wangmane

Don’t forget that Venezuela has the S-300VM & Buk M2E in their arsenal, if the US attacks it won’t be an air campaign like in Libya 10 years ago or Serbia(Yugoslavia) 20 years ago.

RichardD

The idiot that you’re replying to is obviously a habitually lying inflammatory Zionist shill.

There are a lot of missiles capable of hitting launch platforms and supporting infrastructure that go beyond the range of the S-300s, which are dual use with up to a 250 mile range against surface targets, that are also available. Which makes attacking a nation armed with them that can, destroy launch platforms, shut down bases and inflict as much damage on nations hosting those bases as it receives, a much more difficult and less attractive prospect.

Syria is fighting a war with one hand tied behind it’s back because the current rules of engagement restrict or prohibit destroying launch platforms, bases and hosting nation targets.

Tudor Miron

How’s it going in Afganistan? Syria? How did it go in Vietnam?

RichardD

And what happens when the attacking missiles and planes get shot down, the subs and ships launching them get sunk, the bases supporting them are destroyed, the countries hosting those bases get hit and suffer as much damage as is being inflicted on Venezuela from those countries, and NATO weapons are shown to be inferior?

Joe Kerr

That’s what you kikes said about Hezbollah in 2006. Google “crying IDF troops 2006” to see how you child-killing cowards performed last time you met someone who could fight back- crawling back home bawling like babes.

Drogba

Bolton and his zionist cabal buddies,need to hung from the nearest tree,as a warning to these satanic scumbags, that their warmongering days are numbered.

RichardD

There are a number of members of the Trump administration who are probably guilty of treason in connection with the 911 attacks. And Bolton is one of them.

Sinbad2

Treason doth never prosper, what’s the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it Treason.(Sir John Harington)

hvaiallverden

Yeah, let the morons brag, they have used everything they had, incl C-180 flying fortests for decades, and atchived what, wankee boy, do enlighten me, because as far I see, abolutelly nothing, its an terror weapon, nothing else, per military start, is an monster, and have been able to live for long time, relativly, more due to Taliban than anything else, and can be shoot down, its just an matter for proper tools.

Venezuela, really, with what, 100 000 men, oh,,,hens and etc, running in stockings and high heals in this damp mire, and cold montain ranges will f…. the maskara. Nope, so far, I am more intresting in storys, aka FFs about burning children alive in incubatores, an oldie but goldie, just ask the PentaGooons, more morons packed per sq that anywhere else, and is able to just do one thing, with bravour, sucking the state and its 300 million sheeps of cash, apart from that, what, ISIS are dead men walking, I am not conserned at all, Taliban will wipe them out so do Syria, the rest is scattered and kept alive by the west, groups like MEK whom is killing Iranians are protected by the Nordick Gov like Norway, that was the case about so called Iranian spys, because what this people found was the scums whom was behind terror attacks, killing civlians, and the Gov is backing this scums just for that, and on top of it, not only do the rightwinged Gov after years of Labour, continue to suport Wahabism, and ISIS associates in our land. And the rightwinged f…. screams about Islam, when their own Gov is behind this scums. And you wounder why nobody is been kicked out, huh.

Do lecture us in anything wankee boy, the only good thing coming out of this, is that finaly we all see what an mofo scumbag Trump really is. Yeah, and the even worse hangarounds. The need to hang, the only real solution, is to hang em all. I even think the bankers will convert the moment that happens. Yakees, go home.

peace

RichardD

This campaign against Venezuela is one more absurd Jew neocon fiasco that is attempting to maintain their crumbling Jew world order hegemony project. Venezuela needs to be assisted in transitioning away from Jew world order subjugation to multi polar world order independence where it can make decisions free of Jew S $ restrictions, dictates, subversion and military threats.

Preparations to push back a military assault by NATO need to be strengthened. But the economic independence into alternative markets and financial structures is equally important. And if they are of comparable or superior quality to US$ structures. Many nations will follow increasing US economic isolation of it’s own making.

Sinbad2

It’s about the US retaining control of the oil industry and keeping oil prices high. If the market was left to the natural laws of supply and demand, oil prices would fall dramatically. Low prices would mean American oil would be too expensive and nobody would buy it, not even Americans.

RichardD

OPEC has limited production for it’s entire history to gerrymander, prices supply and demand. The US isn’t even a member of OPEC.

Sinbad2

The US isn’t a member of OPEC, it owns OPEC. The US created OPEC via its control of Venezuela to limit overproduction and maintain the profitability of the major oil companies. ME oil is much cheaper to produce, and they would have destroyed the American oil industry if the US had allowed market forces to prevail.

As for OPEC limiting production, well it increased production in the 90’s to destroy the Soviet economy, and again in 2008 to destroy Russia. The Saudis don’t want to kill Russians, it’s Americans who want to kill Russians and turn Russia into a colony.

Today, OPEC cuts production, whilst the US increases production, so who benefits from that?

When you want to know the perpetrator of a crime, simply look to who benefits.

Kelli Hernandez

Yet 40% of our oil comes from Canada and 8% from Saudi Arabia. The US is not self sustaining nor can it be. It’s oil sector will run dry. Shale is very shitty oil .

Sinbad2

The US could be self sustaining if it wasn’t so wasteful. It’s the largest producer in the world, but it’s not enough for Americas rapacious appetite. Building gas pipelines to consume and export gas is apparently beyond America, so most gas is flared at the well. The lack of infrastructure in the US means that the US exports gas from the Gulf, but buys Russian gas for the eastern states.

RichardD

I haven’t seen any proof to support your statements that the US owns OPEC. Can you provide links?

OPEC is owned by it’s members, not the US, most of it cut off oil to the US during the embargo and has limited production for it’s entire 59 year history. Sometimes some members cheated. But that wasn’t OPEC.

Sinbad2

I have no direct proof but lots of circumstantial evidence, such as OPEC raising and lowering oil production to suit US economic and geopolitical policy. OPEC was instigated by Venezuela, whilst an American installed military Junta was in power. the other founding member was iran, when it was controlled by Britain. Recently OPEC has been reducing output, to allow the US to take its market share.

Bolton is sitting on five Billion of Venezuela”s money. He s not even paying for all the ‘crumbs’ His client states in the OAS are.

The Farney Fontenoy

There is one thing about the coup in Venezuela I’m glad about: it’s brought all the shills, disinfo agents & NWO supporters out of the closet, a lot of people, bloggers & news agencies who complained about govt overreach & claimed they were on the side of the citizenry, have come out in full support of war on Venezuela… nice to know where their loyalties lie.